Parent Guide

Welcome Letter

We would like to congratulate you on being the parent/guardian of a future Monash South Africa (MSA) graduate, and welcome you into the MSA family!

We are proud of all our students’ successes and understand that the support of their families plays a huge role in helping them to achieve. The journey from school into higher education is a challenging yet rewarding experience and we know that you will be there every step of the way. That is why we believe that it is essential to partner with you, the parents of our students, especially as they enter into their first year or into our Foundation Programme.

Our academic environment is designed to provide quality, personalised learning, practical skills and critical thinking. Our approach is designed around our students, with the aim of creating opportunities for the application of theoretical concepts to actual work related activities. These activities may include on-campus and off-campus projects such as community engagement, experiential learning internships and service learning opportunities.

Our modern and secure campus is a safe space that offers a variety of state-of-the-art facilities to help students feel at home and allow them to maximise their potential, including our library, extensive online databases, free, fast Wi-Fi and multiple PC Labs. There is also 24-hour security with access control and secure on-site parking.

We embody a globally-minded outlook, with students from over 50 different nationalities on campus, making MSA a unique cultural melting pot. MSA is also the first campus in Southern Africa to join the global Laureate International Universities network, with more than one million students enrolled in over 70 institutions in 25 countries.

We look forward to welcoming you onto campus and to our continued partnership throughout the coming years.

Professor Alwyn Louw

Academic President

Programmes and Initiatives to Support MSA Students Include:

Full orientation week focusing on academic and social readiness for student life at MSA

One-on-one consultation time with tutors and lecturers

Access to Learning Skills Advisors and Subject Librarians

A Wellness Centre that includes an on-campus clinic and counselling services

A variety of student-led clubs and societies where students can connect with like-minded peers, including Debate, Model UN, Choir, IT Society, Dungeons and Dragons, Cheerleading, as well as a number of sports teams and clubs.

The Student Representative Council (SRC), who represent the overall interest and social well-being of our students

Tips for Parents During the Transition from High School to Higher Education

During the first year of a student’s tertiary education, they may find that a new found freedom is available. This could cause changes to their behaviour or a feeling of being overwhelmed. It is important for you to offer support and advice during this critical time, so that they do not feel pressured into making wrong decisions.

The experience of being an MSA students will significantly differ from those of High School. At MSA, students are treated as young adults, which brings about a certain amount of responsibility when managing time and workload.

Some other responsibilities to be made aware of include managing finances and possibly living away from home.

Discuss the importance of maintaining a good balance between academics and social life and encourage the possibility of joining one of the many student clubs and societies.

Course Information

There are several ways for students to apply for courses – online, by post, email, fax and in person. The application process is the same whether the student is a South African citizen, a registered permanent resident of South Africa, or an international student. More information on courses offered by MSA can be found here.

Enrolment and Orientation

Enrolment and orientation are two weeks of events designed to help students officially start their MSA journey, so it is important that they attend all the relevant events. We will help them settle in and provide them with information to fully prepare them for the start of classes and life at MSA. You are welcome to attend the first day, where there will be a welcome session especially for parents. More information can be found here.

Monash South Africa Scholarships and Bursaries

We are committed to providing learning opportunities for the highest achieving students, as well as those experiencing disadvantages (financial hardship). We also offer a variety of financing options. Find more information here.

Fees and Costs

Campus Facilities

Library

Walking through the library doors or logging into the online catalogue through opens our students up to a world of books, databases, journals, online lectures, past exams, reading lists and much more. At the MSA library, there are currently 56577 physical collections, 80000 electronic collections, 1200 networked electronic books and over 2000 online newspapers (100 Countries in 60 languages). Find more information here.

IT services

The IT services offered at MSA include access to the my.monash portal, a personalised email account for every student, access to free wireless internet across the campus and in MSA residences, as well as help with any computing, networking or teaching support issues. Find more information here.

Community Engagement

At MSA we believe in learning and education as key tools in helping to positively impact our community and its members. The Community Engagement department facilitates and supports MSA students and staff to partner with various stakeholders in the region to meet the diverse social, and education needs of our communities. You can find more information here.

Privacy Policies

MSA values the privacy of every individual’s personal information and is committed to the protection of personal information.

MSA has established a privacy regime that strives to:

Promote an understanding and acceptance of the privacy principles and their objectives throughout the higher education community;

Educate people within the institution about information privacy;

Handle any complaints received in an efficient and appropriate manner; and

Monitor privacy compliance and keep the institution informed of updates to procedures.

Through a variety of forms MSA collects information from students for the primary purpose of providing them with the courses of study for which they are enrolled. Related purposes of collection include correspondence with students, day to day administrative matters, provision of information about courses and events, the provision of information about associated services made available to and used by students (such as information technology), the use of personal information for the student electoral roll and the Alumni data base on graduation, and compliance with legislative reporting requirements.

Student records also include academic information that accrues during admission and candidature. This includes information about admission, academic progress and standing, exclusion, assignments and examinations, results and details of practical and clinical placements. It does not include data held by community service professionals employed by MSA or by medical practices located on campus.

Apart from information that is in the public domain and the specific exceptions detailed in the associated procedures, student record information collected by MSA will not be disclosed to third parties. Students are entitled to expect that their personal and academic information will not be subject to unauthorised interference or use.

MSA will seek to ensure that the personal and academic information that it collects, maintains, uses and discloses:

Is accurate, complete and up to date;

Is protected from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure; and

Is destroyed or de-identified when and as required by policy and relevant external legislation.

Inquire Now

Monash South Africa Limited incorporated in Australia External Profit Company is registered with the Department of Education as a private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act of 1997. Registration number: 2000/HE10/002.